Simplified liquid outlet valves, pumps and refill units

ABSTRACT

An inverted refill unit for a dispenser is provided. The refill unit includes a liquid outlet valve in the form of an elastomeric member including a cylindrical side wall, an upper wall having an opening therein, and a valve member extending upwardly from the upper wall to selectively engage a valve seat.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to liquid outlet valves, pumps and refill units for dispensers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dispensers having inverted refill units, i.e. refill units that have a container full of liquid and a pump located below the container, are generally configured to provide a user with an amount of soap or sanitizer upon actuation of the dispenser. The inverted dispensers may be liquid dispensers or foam dispensers. Inverted foam dispensers generally convert liquid material, such as liquid soap or sanitizer, into foam by aerating the liquid material as it is dispensed. Air is generally injected into the liquid material to form air bubbles in the liquid, causing the formation of foam. Inverted foam dispensers may include a replaceable refill container that is replaced after the liquid material therein is consumed by the user. Liquid outlet valves for inverted dispensers are known. Many prior art liquid outlet valves include springs.

SUMMARY

An inverted refill unit for a dispenser is provided comprising a liquid container and a pump housing secured to the bottom of the container. The pump housing forms a liquid pump chamber, with a liquid inlet valve disposed in a liquid path between the liquid container and the liquid pump chamber. The pump housing further comprises a liquid outlet passage extending from the liquid pump chamber to an annular projection extending away from the liquid pump chamber. A liquid outlet valve includes an elastomeric member including a cylindrical side wall, an upper wall having an opening therein, and a valve member extending upwardly from the upper wall to engage the annular projection in a closed position and disengage the annular projection in an open position.

In another embodiment, a refill unit for a liquid foam dispenser is provided comprising a housing which includes a mixing chamber, a liquid channel for supplying a liquid to the mixing chamber from an annular projection into the mixing chamber, and an air channel for supplying a pressurized air to the mixing chamber. A liquid outlet valve is located in the mixing chamber, and comprises an elastomeric member including a cylindrical side wall, an upper wall having an opening therein, and a valve member extending upwardly from the upper wall to engage the annular projection in a closed position and disengage the annular projection in an open position. A liquid outlet disposed downstream of the mixing chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an exemplary refill unit for a foam pump having a simplified outlet valve;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a simplified one-way liquid outlet valve;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the simplified one-way liquid outlet valve of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of a portion of the refill unit and the simplified liquid outlet valve of FIG. 1 with the simplified liquid outlet valve in a closed position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-section of a portion of the refill unit and the simplified liquid outlet valve of FIG. 1 with the simplified liquid outlet valve in a open position; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-section of a portion of a liquid pump and the simplified liquid outlet valve of FIGS. 2 and 3 with the simplified liquid outlet valve in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary refill unit 110. Refill unit 110 includes a container 112 and a foam pump 130. Foam pump 130 includes a pump housing 102 secured to a neck 101 of container 112 by collar 104. Collar 104 is secured to container 112 by a snap-fit connection; however, it could be connected by any means, such as, for example a threaded connection, a welded connection, an adhesive connection or the like.

Located between pump housing 102 and container neck 101 is plate 106. Plate 106 includes an aperture 107 surrounded above by valve seat 108 which provides a seat for inlet ball valve 111. Inlet ball valve 111 is retained from below by anchors 109 which are secured to plate 106. Inlet ball valve 111 is a normally open valve. Accordingly, liquid may flow past the inlet ball valve 111 into liquid inlet channel 115, past sleeve 114 and into liquid pump chamber 116.

When liquid pump chamber 116 is pressurized, as discussed in detail below, inlet ball valve 111 seals against seat 108 to prevent liquid from flowing from pump chamber 116 back into container 112. In some embodiments, ball valve 111 may be a normally closed valve and in that case may include a biasing member (not shown) to bias the ball valve 111 closed. In addition, although the one-way liquid inlet valve 111 is a ball valve, other types of one-way inlet valves may be used, such as, for example, a mushroom valve, an umbrella valve, a poppet valve, a flapper valve, or the like.

Pump housing 102 includes a cavity 113. Located within cavity 113 is a sleeve 114. A liquid piston 118 moves in a back and forth reciprocating motion within sleeve 114 to increase and decrease the volume of pump chamber 116. Similarly, located within cavity 113 is an air piston sleeve 153. Air piston 152 moves in a back and forth reciprocating motion within air piston sleeve 153 to increase and decrease the volume of air chamber 150. Sleeves 114 and 153 are manufactured with tight tolerances and allow pump housing 102 to be manufactured inexpensively without tight tolerances.

The liquid piston 118 is connected to liquid piston stem 119. Liquid piston stem 119 is connected to air piston 152. Accordingly, movement of air piston 152 also moves liquid piston 118. Air piston 152 also includes connector 154. Connector 154 mates with a connector (not shown) on a dispenser (not shown).

Pump housing 102 also includes one or more liquid outlet passages 127. Liquid outlet passages 127 are formed in pump housing 102 and extend from cavity 113 to the bottom of pump housing 102. Pump housing 102 includes annular projection 128 for connecting to lower pump housing 105. In addition, pump housing 102 includes an annular projection 410 (FIG. 4) which provides a valve seat for one-way liquid outlet valve 190.

The lower pump housing 105 of the foam pump 130 has an annular projection 107 for connecting to an annular outlet 157 of air chamber 150. In addition, lower pump housing 105 includes an outlet 130 and a seat 109. Lower pump housing 105 retains foaming cartridge 109 and valve 190. Seat 109 provides support for foaming cartridge 123 which contains one or more foaming screens 124, and for the one-way liquid outlet valve 190.

FIGS. 2-3 provide a detailed view of the one-way liquid outlet valve 190. One-way liquid outlet valve 190 is an elastomeric member that includes cylindrical side wall 202, an upper wall 204, one or more openings 206 in the upper wall 204, and a valve member 203. Cylindrical side wall 202 fits within the seat 109 of the lower pump housing 105 to secure one-way outlet valve 190 in place.

Because one-way liquid outlet valve 190 is used in an inverted refill unit 110, an important design consideration is that one-way liquid outlet valve 190 needs to prevent static drip. Typically, elastomeric valves that deflect are only used for air and do not need to overcome static drip issues. Static drip occurs when the weight of the fluid in the container either opens the outlet valve 190 or prevents the outlet valve 190 from closing properly. Another design consideration for a liquid outlet valve 190 is the cracking pressure. If the cracking pressure is too high, the pump requires too much force to operate and would not be suitable for use in dispensers, particularly touch-free dispensers where the pump actuator is operated by battery power. These two designs considerations are in opposition to one another. To address these considerations, the one-way liquid outlet valve 190 opens at a pressure that is lower than 3 psi (pounds per square inch), which is a standard dispenser pump operating pressure.

In some embodiments, outlet nozzle 130 is funnel shaped and, as foam flows through outlet nozzle 130 the velocity of the foam is increased helping to enrich the foam.

Located between air compressor chamber 150 and mixing chamber 404 is an air outlet passage 158. Air outlet passage 158 is elongated and located at the bottom of air chamber 150. In some embodiments, air outlet passage 158 includes a stepped portion 159 where the air outlet passage 158 connects to lower pump housing 105. This stepped portion may trap and retain residual foam and liquid that is sucked back into air chamber 150 as air piston 152 is moved back to its charged position.

In some embodiments, a one-way air inlet valve 156 is located in the body of air piston 152. In some embodiments, a one-way air inlet valve (not shown) is located in a wall of air piston sleeve 153. One-way air inlet valve 156 has a cracking pressure that is selected so that when air piston 152 is moved from a fully discharged position toward the fully primed or charged position of FIG. 1, air is drawn in through though the outlet nozzle 130 and sucks back residual foam and liquid up through air passages 158. As the air piston 152 moves toward its fully charged position, the vacuum pressure in air chamber 150 increases because of the resistance caused by the foaming screens and air passage 124. Once the vacuum pressure increases to a set point, the one-way air inlet valve 156 opens and allows air to flow into air chamber 150. In some embodiments, a cracking pressure of about 3 psi is selected. Thus, foam pump 130 provides for a limited suck back of foam and extends battery life because the one-way air inlet valve 156 allows air piston 152 to move back without the increased resistance of the screen(s) 124.

During operation, one-way liquid outlet valve 190 is normally closed as shown in FIG. 4. Valve member 203 seals against annular projection 410 of pump housing 102. To prime or charge foam pump 130, the liquid piston 118 and air piston 152 are moved outward (to the left in FIG. 1), and liquid flows from container 112 past one-way inlet ball valve 111 through passage 115 into the area defined by cavity 113 and sleeve 114 and into liquid pump chamber 116. The elastomeric resiliency of the liquid outlet valve 190, in addition to the suction pressure caused by the outward movement of the liquid piston 118, hold the valve member 103 in the closed position. Air is initially drawn in through outlet 130 and screens 124, which sucks back fluid and foam left in the foaming cartridge 123 and outlet 130. Then, air inlet valve 156 opens and allows air to freely flow into air chamber 150.

To discharge foam from pump 130, the liquid piston 118 and air piston 152 are moved inward (to the right in FIG. 1). Liquid is forced out of liquid pump chamber 116 through liquid outlet passages 127 and the pressure forces the valve member 203 and the upper wall 204 to deflect downward as illustrated in FIG. 5. Liquid flows past the valve member 203 and through openings 206 in the upper wall 204 into mixing chamber 404. Air from air chamber 150 travels through air outlet 158 (picking up residual fluid sucked into the air chamber during priming) into mixing chamber 404 where the air and liquid mix together. The air/liquid mixture is forced through mixing cartridge 123 and dispensed as a foam. When the inward movement of the two pistons 118 and 152 stops, the elastomeric resiliency of the liquid outlet valve 190 urges the valve member 203 and the upper wall 204 to return to the closed position of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates another exemplary refill unit 610. Refill unit 610 includes a container 612 and a liquid pump 630. Liquid pump 630 includes a pump housing 602 secured to a neck 601 of container 612 by collar 604. Collar 604 is secured to container 612 by a snap-fit connection; however, it could be connected by any means, such as, for example a threaded connection, a welded connection, an adhesive connection or the like.

Located between pump housing 602 and container neck 601 is plate 606. Plate 606 includes an aperture 607 surrounded above by valve seat 608 which provides a seat for inlet ball valve 611. Inlet ball valve 611 is retained from below by anchors 609 which are secured to plate 606. Inlet ball valve 611 is a normally open valve. Accordingly, liquid may flow past the inlet ball valve 610 into liquid inlet channel 615, past sleeve 614 and into liquid pump chamber 616.

When liquid pump chamber 616 is pressurized, as discussed in detail below, inlet ball valve 611 seals against seat 608 to prevent liquid from flowing from pump chamber 616 back into container 612. In some embodiments, ball valve 611 may be a normally closed valve and in that case may include a biasing member (not shown) to bias the ball valve 611 closed. In addition, although the one-way liquid inlet valve 611 is a ball valve, other types of one-way inlet valves may be used, such as, for example, a mushroom valve, an umbrella valve, a poppet valve, a flapper valve, or the like.

Pump housing 602 includes a cavity 613. Located within cavity 613 is a sleeve 614. A liquid piston 618 moves in a back and forth reciprocating motion within sleeve 614 to increase and decrease the volume of pump chamber 616. Sleeve 614 is manufactured with tight tolerances and allows pump housing 602 to be manufactured inexpensively without tight tolerances.

The liquid piston 618 is connected to liquid piston stem 619 and includes a connector 654 that mates with a connector (not shown) on a dispenser (not shown). Pump housing 602 also includes one or more liquid outlet passages 627. Liquid outlet passages 627 are formed in pump housing 602 and extend from cavity 613 to the bottom of pump housing 602. Pump housing 602 includes annular projection 628 for connecting to lower pump housing 605. In addition, pump housing 602 includes an annular projection 610 which provides a valve seat for one-way liquid outlet valve 190, which is the same liquid outlet valve described above with respect to foam pump 130. Liquid outlet valve 190 operates in the same manner described above and is not re-described with respect to liquid pump 630.

Liquid pump 630 includes a lower pump housing 605 that has a seat 609. Lower pump housing 105 and seat 109 provide support for one-way liquid outlet valve 190.

As described above, during operation, one-way liquid outlet valve 190 is normally closed as shown in FIG. 4. Valve member 203 seals against annular projection 610 of pump housing 602. To prime or charge liquid pump 630, the liquid piston 618 is moved outward (to the left in FIG. 6), and liquid flows from container 612 past one-way inlet ball valve 611 through passage 615 into the area defined by cavity 613 and sleeve 614 and into liquid pump chamber 616.

To discharge liquid from pump 630, the liquid piston 618 is moved inward (to the right in FIG. 6). Liquid is forced out of liquid pump chamber 616 through liquid outlet passages 627 and the pressure forces the valve member 203 and the upper wall 204 to deflect downward as illustrated in FIG. 5. Liquid flows past the valve member 203 and through openings 206 in the upper wall 204 and out of outlet 630. When the inward movement of the two pistons 118 and 152 stops, the elastomeric resiliency of the liquid outlet valve 190 urges the valve member 203 and the upper wall 204 to return to the closed position of FIG. 4.

While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the inventions may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. It is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Unless expressly excluded herein, all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts and features of the inventions—such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, circuits, devices and components, software, hardware, control logic, alternatives as to form, fit and function, and so on—may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present inventions even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the inventions may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present disclosure; however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges only if so expressly stated. Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific invention. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order in which the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated. 

We claim:
 1. An inverted refill unit for a dispenser comprising: a liquid container; a pump housing secured to a bottom of the container and forming a liquid pump chamber, with a liquid inlet valve disposed in a liquid path between the liquid container and the liquid pump chamber, and the pump housing further comprises a liquid outlet passage extending from the liquid pump chamber to an annular projection extending away from the liquid pump chamber; a liquid outlet valve comprising an elastomeric member including a cylindrical side wall, an upper wall having an opening therein, and a valve member extending upwardly from the upper wall to engage the annular projection in a closed position and disengage the annular projection in an open position; and a liquid outlet disposed downstream of the liquid outlet valve.
 2. The inverted refill unit of claim 1 wherein the upper wall of the liquid outlet valve comprises more than one opening.
 3. The inverted refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a liquid piston disposed within a sleeve located in the liquid pump chamber.
 4. The inverted refill unit of claim 1 wherein the liquid inlet valve is a ball valve.
 5. The inverted refill unit of claim 1 wherein the pump housing further forms an air pump chamber having a pressurized air outlet channel leading to a mixing chamber disposed downstream of the liquid outlet valve, and wherein liquid and pressurized air mix in the mixing chamber to form a foam.
 6. The inverted refill unit of claim 5 further comprising a piston shaft supporting an air piston in the air pump chamber and a liquid piston in the liquid pump chamber.
 7. The inverted refill unit of claim 5 further comprising a foaming cartridge disposed in a chamber formed by the cylindrical side wall of the liquid outlet valve.
 8. The inverted refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a lower pump housing connected to the pump housing and comprising a seat to support the liquid outlet valve, and the lower pump housing further comprises a liquid outlet.
 9. The inverted refill unit of claim 8 wherein the lower pump housing further comprises a pressurized air inlet for receiving a supply of pressurized air to mix with the liquid in a mixing chamber above the upper wall of the liquid outlet valve, and the seat further supports a foaming cartridge disposed in a chamber formed by the cylindrical side wall of the liquid outlet valve.
 10. A refill unit for a liquid foam dispenser comprising: a housing which includes a mixing chamber, a liquid channel for supplying a liquid to the mixing chamber from an annular projection into the mixing chamber, and an air channel for supplying a pressurized air to the mixing chamber; a liquid outlet valve located in the mixing chamber, wherein the liquid outlet valve comprises an elastomeric member including a cylindrical side wall, an upper wall having an opening therein, and a valve member extending upwardly from the upper wall to engage the annular projection in a closed position and disengage the annular projection in an open position; and a liquid outlet disposed downstream of the mixing chamber.
 11. The refill unit of claim 10 wherein the upper wall of the liquid outlet valve comprises more than one opening.
 12. The refill unit of claim 10 further comprising a foaming cartridge disposed in a chamber formed by the cylindrical side wall of the liquid outlet valve.
 13. The refill unit of claim 10 wherein the air channel comprises a step portion to hold liquid which enters the air channel from the mixing chamber.
 14. An inverted refill unit for a dispenser comprising: a liquid container; a pump housing secured to a bottom of the container; the pump housing having a liquid inlet valve; a pump chamber; a liquid outlet valve seat; and a liquid outlet valve; the liquid outlet valve having; a first surface with an opening below the surface; one or more apertures through the first surface; an upstanding member projecting upward from the first surface; and the upstanding projection member having a valve surface located on the top of the upstanding member for contacting the valve seat; wherein the first surface is resilient and deflects under pressure to allow fluid to flow past the valve surface and through the one or more apertures in the first surface and wherein the resilient first surface urges the valve surface closed against the valve seat.
 15. The refill unit of claim 14 further comprising a cylindrical body for supporting the first surface.
 16. The refill unit of claim 15 further comprising one or more foaming elements located at least partially within the cylindrical body.
 17. The refill unit of claim 14 further comprising an air chamber and a mixing chamber.
 18. The refill unit of claim 17 wherein the mixing chamber is located upstream of the one or more apertures.
 19. The refill unit of claim 14 wherein the housing comprises an upper housing and a lower housing and wherein the liquid outlet valve includes a cylindrical body and the cylindrical body is supported by the lower housing.
 20. The refill unit of claim 14 wherein the pump chamber comprises a piston that engages a sleeve inserted into a cavity of the pump housing. 